Xavier Lázaro did not get off to the best start in his debut in the FIA Karting European Championship. At the opening round of the competition, held at Italy’s International Circuit La Conca, the Portuguese driver missed out on the OK Junior Final after a series of setbacks that began yesterday and continued into this morning.
After delivering a very positive result in Qualifying—finishing 10th in his group and 28th overall among the 90 drivers entered—the young driver from Várzea de Sintra continued to impress in the first three Qualifying Heats, securing finishes of eighth, 13th and 12th. However, misfortune struck in the penultimate heat, where the Portuguese driver ran off track on the opening lap and, upon rejoining, became involved in an incident with another competitor. Xavier Lázaro injured his hand in the process and was subsequently disqualified from the heat, as the race officials deemed his return to the track an ‘unsafe rejoin’. Despite significant pain in his right hand, Lázaro showed great determination by taking part in the final Qualifying Heat, finishing in a commendable 10th place.
Following the earlier setbacks, matters worsened yesterday as the driver suffered from food poisoning, forcing him to vomit throughout the night and leaving him without any rest. Despite this, he lined up this morning for Pre-Final B, aware that a place in the Final was still within reach. However, he was caught up in a multi-kart incident on the opening lap that eliminated several drivers from the race. Although Xavier Lázaro managed to continue, he dropped significantly down the order and ultimately finished in 20th position, ending his chances of securing a place in the Final.
The driver returns to Portugal later today, where he will begin recovery from his hand injury, before making his return to competition in three weeks’ time at the second round of the Champions of the Future, held at the Kartódromo Internacional Lucas Guerrero in Valencia, Spain.
Excellent First Day of Racing
With DR delivering an excellent job in preparing Xavier Lázaro’s kart, the Portuguese driver made a strong impression in the Qualifying session, setting a lap time of 48.252 seconds. This secured him 10th place in his group and 28th overall. Demonstrating strong competitiveness and the right positioning on track, the 12-year-old finished just three tenths of a second off pole position.
The Portuguese driver’s strong form continued in the first of five Qualifying Heats. Starting from 10th on the grid, Xavier Lázaro delivered a proactive drive over the 10-lap race, gaining positions to finish in eighth place. In the following heat, he once again looked set for a strong result, but was unable to avoid being pushed off on the opening lap, dropping several positions. He managed to recover ground and ultimately finished 13th.
Yesterday, he contested the remaining three Qualifying Heats. In the first, once again starting from 10th on the outside of the grid, Lázaro made a solid start, but midway through the race he was compromised by a ‘divebomb’ move from Polish driver Remigiusz Samczyk (Exprit/TM Kart/Maxxis), which went unpenalised by the officials. As a result, Xavier Lázaro was forced slightly off track, losing positions once again, but still managed to recover and finish in 12th place.
In the penultimate Qualifying Heat, the Portuguese driver made an excellent start from ninth on the inside line and was running strongly on the opening lap. However, after running slightly off track, he was struck by another driver while rejoining. The collision was significant, forcing both drivers to retire, and Xavier Lázaro sustained an injury to his hand. Race control deemed his return to the track an ‘unsafe rejoin’, resulting in his disqualification from the heat.
With his right hand heavily swollen and in considerable pain, Xavier Lázaro demonstrated great determination and resilience by lining up for the final Qualifying Heat. Although it was clear that the Portuguese driver was physically compromised, he still delivered a strong performance, securing 10th place.
This morning, the Portuguese driver appeared visibly weakened at the circuit following a bout of food poisoning that left him without sleep and suffering from persistent vomiting. Despite this, and with an injured hand, the young DR driver took to the track for Pre-Final B, aware that a place in the OK Junior Final was still within reach. However, underlining the difficult nature of his weekend, Xavier Lázaro was caught up in a multi-kart incident involving several drivers, many of whom were forced to retire. Although he dropped down the order, the Portuguese driver managed to continue and, through sheer determination, crossed the line in 20th position—the same place from which he had started. This result ultimately ruled out any chance of qualifying for the Final. Nevertheless, the strong indications shown by Lázaro on the opening day remain a positive takeaway. The driver will now focus on recovering from his right-hand injury, aiming to return to full fitness in time for the second round of the Champions of the Future in Valencia in approximately three weeks’ time.
